Plan to go racing - Is it feasible?
 

I'd love to get into racing but as with many people lack of money is making it difficult. So I have a plan. I was hoping for some feedback on whether this could work:

I have a curvy road bike which is pretty much standard now. The plan is to spend this year converting it into a road legal trackday bike then at the end of the year take it off the road and convert it over winter to a race bike:

1. Sort suspension (rearshock, fork springs, emulators and oil) and throughout the year get bits as they become available (WOW, rearsets, clipons, paddock stuff inc generator etc, buy a transit!)

2. Get more track time and maybe do the California superbike school

3. When it gets cold again in winter take the bike off the road and finish conversion into a race bike - Remove lights, change sub-frames fit race fairings, all the other little bits that need doing like rearsets and lockwiring etc.

4. In Feb 2010 do the Bemsee ACU weekend and get my ACU licence.

5. Reassess finances (and ability) and pick at least one or two races to do. Perform further reassessment of finances (and ability) and decide on whether to race more or do more trackdays/training.

This is my master plan. I already have the suspension stuff on the way. The real decision time is going to be when I take it off the road next winter to complete the conversion. Up to that point it will just be a road and track toy.

What do you think?

Cheers

Stu

Re: Plan to go racing - Is it feasible?
 

I'd have just bought a race ready bike. Slightly cheaper. There are 3 up on motoforum as we speak ranging from £900-£3300.

How gutted would you be if you did all of the above, got to next year and found out you couldnt even do one round.
**Live for the moment, get into debt and go for it. ;-) I havnt looked back!


**All advice is given in a semi serious manor and should be taken in a jokey fashion! Sideshow#36 is not responsible for any debt incurred!" ;-)

Re: Plan to go racing - Is it feasible?
 

+1. Even if you dont intend to spend the money it will happen anyway :-)

Dont forget tyres and crash damage in your plans.

Re: Plan to go racing - Is it feasible?
 

Thanks guys. To be honest when I wrote the above master plan I had in mind the possibility of buying a race bike next winter. I'd still sort the suspension out on my current bike so that I can use this year to practice more. It comes down to how much spare cash i have.

Re: Plan to go racing - Is it feasible?
 

Your master plan is pritty much the same as mine. I'm building 1 or 2 bikes from parts hoping to do a few trackdays this year and then depending on money/the mrs... getting my licence and doing rookies in '10.
Might see you there in my little orange vest :)

Re: Plan to go racing - Is it feasible?
 

There is a vast amount of difference between having a track day bike and a race bike
track days you can do with most bikes
race bikes have to conform to the class,scrutinized,plus you need a race license
track day bike is relatively inexpensive for great fun,can be fairly local by choice,thereby keeping costs to a minimum.
race bike is going to cost you a fair bit more in that series are spread over the country,incurring traveling/accom expenses and all the extra gear[sprockets,tyres spare wheels etc] NOT CHEAP if you don't want to feel second class
My son and I do an endurance series and budget £5000 a year excluding the cost of two bikes and a racehome

Re: Plan to go racing - Is it feasible?
 

Cool, Maybe see you there.

I'm aware of the licence and travelling requirements. What I was getting at is that in terms of the actual bike, there isn't much difference. By March my road/track day bike will have race tech emulators, liner springs and oil to suit my weight, Aftermarket rearshock, HH pads with braided lines, exhaust system, filter and dyno time. For all intents and purposes at that stage it's pretty much an overweight minitwins bike with lights and without all the lockwiring, fairing, oil pan etc.